The most beautiful corners of the planet

The photos that you will see here are part of the collection of a new book by Lonely Planet publishing house called "The Beautiful World", which contains pictures of 200 of the most fascinating places on our planet.

Towering over the rocks, yellow pines can be seen in Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah (USA). Crevices in the rocks are formed when the water freezes and expands, gradually splitting the stone.

Thousands of lanterns rise into the night sky during the Thai Loi Krathong Festival, which is held every year in November, during the full moon.

Panoramic view of the London Parliament building, Big Ben and Westminster Bridge, taken at dusk from the Thames embankment.

Night New York, view from the Empire State Building.

A hummingbird eats the nectar of white flowers in Huntington Beach, California.

The aurora photographed in the early morning in the Arctic Circle. The stunning glow is created by the interaction of charged particles moving rapidly from the Sun and the Earth's magnetic fields.

The Dolomites of Italy are among the most impressive mountain landscapes on the planet.

"Towers" of sandstone can be seen on the border of the American states of Arizona and Utah. They were formed as a result of millions of years of erosion. The red hue of the stone is given by iron oxide.

Annual migration of sardines in South Africa. Millions of fish are heading north.

View of the waterfalls of Croatia's Plitvice Lakes National Park. The park consists of a cascade of lakes, the water in which differs in color — from blue and green to gray.

The "wave" is a sandstone formation on the border of Arizona and Utah. The bizarre play of shapes and colors is the result of erosion.

These stone towers can be seen in China's Zhangjiajie National Park. They were also formed as a result of millions of years of erosion.

The Strokkur geyser is located in Iceland. It erupts every 2-6 minutes, releasing water to a height of up to 20 meters.

China's Li River is famous for jagged limestone peaks, turbulent streams, water buffaloes and cormorants.

Chinese rice fields-terraces. These man-made structures make it possible to harvest the largest possible harvest of rice in the mountainous regions of the country.